Brisbane’s visitor economy is set to hit a record $17 billion in 2025, driven by rising international spending and strong domestic demand, according to new tourism data.
Statistics from Tourism Australia for the year to December show international visitor spending in Brisbane rose 14.8 per cent to $3.6 billion, the highest level on record. Total visitor spending, including domestic and day trips, reached $17 billion.
The figure, released by the Commonwealth agency on Monday, shows 1.3 million international visitors spent a total of 27.3 million nights in Brisbane throughout the year. Of those, 614,000 were holidaymakers, up 6.3 per cent year-on-year, while international guest nights rose 13.8 per cent to a record 8.1 million.
Brisbane Economic Development Corporation chief executive Anthony Ryan said major events and destination marketing continued to play a key role in driving demand.
“Major events help fill hotels and attract visitors, while domestic travel continues to focus on high visitor spending,” he said.
Ryan said BEDA will focus on maintaining domestic demand while continuing to grow international tourism through targeted participation in key markets.
Domestic travel continued to power the city’s visitor economy, according to TRA data, with Brisbane accounting for 36 per cent of Queensland’s domestic visitor spend. Domestic spending reached $13.4 billion, supported by 9.6 million visitors who stayed 27 million nights.
Day trips also contributed significantly, with Brisbane attracting 49 per cent of such trips taken in Queensland. Day trip spending in the city reached $4.5 billion.
New Zealand, the UK and China were Brisbane’s main international markets, while New South Wales and Victoria accounted for the majority of domestic visitors.
Visits to the UK increased by 9.6 per cent to 155,000 visitors, with holiday trips from the UK increasing the fastest. Holiday visitor numbers from the UK increased by 28.3 per cent, while holiday nights more than doubled – growth in line with major events including the England and Ireland Lions rugby tour and Ashes cricket.
Japan also recorded a new high, with the number of visitors increasing by 17.3 percent year-on-year.
Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the figures showed growing interest in the city from international and domestic travellers.
“Brisbane offers a great mix of culture, outdoor experiences and great events,” he said.
“These results put the city in a strong position as the global travel environment remains uncertain.”
The TRA results came as Brisbane prepares for a busy calendar of major events, including the NRL Magic Round and the Brisbane Festival, as well as the long-running build-up to next year’s Rugby World Cup.
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